January 23, 1862 (Wendesday): The Romney Rebellion

                                                 ROMNEY, VA., January 23, 1862.

Hon. WALTER R. STAPLES:

    MY DEAR SIR:  I write you a few lines to enlist your influence as to the public man in behalf of that portion of the Army of the Northwest stationed at this place.  A portion of General Loring’s command comprises the force here.  This part of the army, during the last summer and fall, passed through a campaign in Northwestern Virginia, the character of which in point of suffering, toil, exposure, and deprivations has no parallel in this war, and scarcely can be equaled in any war.  After all this hardship and exposure, and many, with much labor, had built winter huts, a call was made upon them to march some 150 miles to Winchester.  This march was made about the 1^st of December, in very inclement weather, but with a cheerfulness and alacrity that has seldom been witnessed under similar circumstances.  After arriving at Winchester an expedition was ordered to Morgan County and to this place.  This was also cheerfully undertaken by the men, as well as the officers, with the expectation on every side that after the object of the expedition was accomplished, this force, which had passed through eight months of incessant toil, would be permitted to retire to some convenient point and enjoy a short respite, preparatory to the spring campaign, rendered the more necessary by the terrible exposure since leaving Winchester, which has emaciated the force to almost a skeleton, compared to what it was on marching from that place.

    Now we are ordered to remain here during the remainder of the winter.  A more unfavorable spot could not be selected.  We are willing to endure all that men can bear when our cause requires it; but where there is a discretion, that discretion should be exercised in favor of men who have seen such hard and continued service.  This place is of no importance in a strategical point of view; the country around it has been exhausted by the enemy, and its proximity to the enemy and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad will wear us away (already greatly reduced) by heavy picket and guard duty.  Besides this, there is no suitable ground and not sufficient wood here upon and by which men can be made comfortable.  We have not been in as uncomfortable a place since we entered the service.

   By going to Winchester we could be much better situated and save a vast expense in the transportation of supplies; or we could go to Moorefield, in Hardy County, where there is the greatest abundance of forage, and where the Government has a large number of fat cattle.  At the latter point we can effect every military object that we can effect here.  We all must be impressed with the great importance of raising and army for the next summer.  With the benefit of a short furlough for the men, I am satisfied that at Winchester I could have enlisted 500 of my regiment for the war.  With the present prospect before them, I do not know that I could get a single man.  Still, if the men could yet be placed in  a position where their spirits could be revived, many of them would re-enlist for the war.

   This is a public consideration that ought not to be overlooked.  All of the officers of this army take the same view of the case that I have above presented, and all are endeavoring to effect the same object that I am.

  I will ask you, in view of these facts, to see the Adjutant-General, the Secretary of War, and the President, if necessary, and impress these considerations upon them, and by doing so you will perform a public service as well as confer a favor upon a meritorious army.

   I would say more, but deem it unnecessary.  I have written to Hon. Walter Preston upon the same subject.

   Yours, respectfully,

                                                                                    SAML. V. FULKERSON

                                                            [Colonel Thirty-seventh Virginia Infantry.]

Official Records, Series I. Vol. 5, Part 1, Page 1040.

Jackson wanted to destroy one of the railroad bridges across the North Branch of the Potomac west of Cumberland and thus the forces in his front off from supplies coming from the west, forcing them to withdraw troops from his front.  But Loring’s command was not, by Jackson’s reckoning, in condition to move.  By leaving them in Romney in winter quarters he hoped to maintain the threat, taking with him Garnett’s brigade to Winchester to counter the possibility of Banks crossing the Potomac.  At the time Loring’s men were petitioning all and sundry to be removed from Romney, Jackson was asking for an additional regiment of cavalry to be sent there because he was apprehensive of Romney being cut off and also wanted it in order to destroy a key railroad bridge.  Johnston was inclined to order Jackson to concentrate his force and the War Department was increasingly apprehensive of a Union move across the Potomac.  To round things out, Jackson was tone deaf to the comfort of Loring’s troops or the appearance of taking the Stonewall Brigade to Winchester while leaving them in the inhospitable environs of Romney.

In the archives of VMI is a letter from Fulkerson (who was killed in the Seven Days Battles) which does a good job describing the contradictory feelings many of his officers had towards him.   It reads, in part,
"He (Jackson) is a singular man and has some most striking military traits of character and
some that are not so good."  On Fulkerson's death Jackson wrote his parents, "...permit me to say Col. S. V. Fulkerson was an officer of distinguished worth.  I deeply felt his death."